Box score

AIKEN, SC—South Carolina State's goal on a free kick in the 16th minute was the only score for either team, as the Bulldogs nipped visiting NJIT, 1-0, Saturday afternoon in Great West Conference women's soccer.
 
The win lifted South Carolina State to 3-0-1 in Great West Conference play and 4-6-3 overall, while the loss leveled NJIT's conference record to 1-1 and dropped the Highlanders to 2-12 overall. The last four games for the Bulldogs have all been in the GWC, as they have defeated NJIT, Howard, and Delaware State and tied North Dakota, with two conference games remaining. NJIT has four GWC games remaining before it hosts the conference postseason tournament in November.
 
Each team had a shot on goal before South Carolina State's Cassie Rodriguez netted the only goal of the day on a free kick from just outside the top of the box. The junior's shot was deflected on the way to its target and went into the goal at the back post at 15:04.
 
The first half ended with South Carolina State holding a 6-2 advantage in shots, a category that would stand at 12-6 for the Bulldogs when the game ended. The shots on goal finished at 6-2 for the winners, as NJIT goalkeeper Anna Kornmuller finished with five saves and the one goal allowed, while the shutout went to South Carolina State's junior Mariah Hebbe, who made two saves.
 
NJIT's best chance may have come in the 84th minute, when freshman Kylie Jones took two shots in a span of seven seconds, beginning with a free kick that was blocked, followed a quick strike at the rebound, which went high.
 
The game was played at the University of South Carolina Aiken, which is about 60 miles from the SCSU campus in Orangeburg. The game was moved because women's soccer shares its field with Bulldog football, which was hosting a game at the same time as the soccer match.
 
“We were too flat,” said NJIT coach Sergio Gonzalez. “We gave ourselves some chances, but we weren't sharp enough to finish.”
 
For NJIT, the road trip was over 750 miles one-way from its home in Newark. But Gonzalez would not offer that as an excuse. “We have to be ready to play whenever, wherever the schedule says we play,” said the coach. “You're going to have long road trips, but you have to be able to play your game on the road. If you take care of the things you can control, you don't have to worry about that other stuff.”
 
NJIT will host Howard in another Great West Conference game on Thursday evening at 5 pm on Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.